Sweet potato peanut noodles

I love love love peanut noodles, sesame noodles, and basically any noodle with a creamy, nutty, salty sauce, as does my child. He likes to pretend he can use chop sticks (he's actually pretty good, considering) and make a huge mess. It's adorable.

I swapped out the soba or lo mein noodles that are the usual base for this dish and used swoodles instead and they're fantastic. A little bit crunchy and just a tiny bit sweet to balance out the salty sauce. Yum. The toddler agrees.

I like to saute the noodles briefly with a little olive oil and a hot pan. Really, you just need a few minutes to take away the rawness of the sweet potatoes. I don't look for any color, just a slight opaqueness. You aren't really cooking the noodles, just making them not raw, if that makes any sense. I'm guessing you could eat them totally raw and it would be fine, I just haven't done it. I also feel like swoodles beat zoodles in a "could this pass for pasta" contest, hands down. If you don't have a spiralizer, you could just use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin noodles. 

I've tried many different recipes and have winged it many times in making peanut noodles, but I always come back to Smitten's recipe. It's a little lighter than your typical peanut sauce because Deb swaps in some tahini for peanut butter. I always want to add tahini to this dish, but never seem to get the right balance when adapting other recipes. I add one more Tbsp of peanut butter and use an even 4 Tbsp of soy sauce because I really like peanut butter and salt. I also use half of the sugar because the sweet potato noodles are already sweet, but other than that, I use the recipe as written. I love it.

This base is also perfect with just some crisp cucumbers on top, but you could also add edamame, leftover protein, dried seaweed, toasted sesame seeds, and ANY other raw, steamed, or roasted veggies. You could kind of use this as a base for a noodle bowl.

Sweet potato peanut noodles

1 extra large sweet potato (about 1 lb), peeled and spiralized
1 Tbsp avocado or other neutral oil
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp peanut butter
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
½ Tbsp brown sugar
1-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove

Heat 1 tbsp of avocado or other neutral oil in a pan over medium flame. Add the sweet potato noodles and sauté for 5 minutes until the potatoes are slightly opaque. Flip the noodles and cook for about 5 minutes more. Let cool.

In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients from sesame oil to the garlic and blend until smooth.

Toss the noodles with the sauce and serve. Also, this dish lasted for quite some time in the fridge and maintained its crunch and freshness for at least 1 week.

Yield: about 4 servings

Chimichurri meatballs

These easy, quick meatballs get some extra zing from vinegar-y, herby, garlicky chimichurri. #meandthemoose #chimichurri #cilantro #parsley #meatballs #quickmeals #easyrecipes

This herby, vinegar-y Argentinian sauce perfectly cuts through fatty meats like beef, pork, chicken thighs, and even salmon. Here, I’ve added the sauce directly to the meatballs to give them a bit of extra zing.

Take me to the recipe!

These easy, quick meatballs get some extra zing from vinegar-y, herby, garlicky chimichurri. #meandthemoose #chimichurri #cilantro #parsley #meatballs #quickmeals #easyrecipes

I'm writing this from a Starbucks while M is at his first day of drop-off camp. Drop off. As in, I bring him to camp and then leave and go live my life for two hours while he lives his. WWWWHHHAAAATTTT?????? I mean, this is literally the goal while raising kids: You want them to be able to function without you and eat and breathe and play and learn and share and manage their emotions, but oh my god, how can he be able to function without me ALREADY???

These easy, quick meatballs get some extra zing from vinegar-y, herby, garlicky chimichurri. #meandthemoose #chimichurri #cilantro #parsley #meatballs #quickmeals #easyrecipes

But I know this is totally normal. He's such an independent kid that I know he'll be okay without me. And thinking of him going to his own place to do his own thing reminds me that I, too, am a separate person who exists outside of my role as a mother.

If I was a smart person, I would be posting today about nut-free lunch packing because that's one challenge we're encountering for the first time. Buuuut, I'm not. Instead, I'm posting about a good way to get M to eat protein: Fill it with the strong flavors of garlic, lime, and cilantro. Actually, this is a good way to get anyone to eat protein.

These easy, quick meatballs get some extra zing from vinegar-y, herby, garlicky chimichurri. #meandthemoose #chimichurri #cilantro #parsley #meatballs #quickmeals #easyrecipes

These easy, quick meatballs get some extra zing from vinegar-y, herby, garlicky chimichurri. #meandthemoose #chimichurri #cilantro #parsley #meatballs #quickmeals #easyrecipes

A few notes about this recipe: I tried to make this one into a Whole 30/Paleo recipe by using almond meal in place of flour, but the texture never felt totally right. They were delicious, but a little softer than I wanted. However, if I were to do another Whole 30, I would definitely make these with almond meal and just deal with it because the flavor is great. I used homemade bread crumbs here because we had some stale whole grain bread, but store bought would work just fine. I made these meatballs huge because I wanted them to be sliders and a good, hearty meal, but one could absolutely make them smaller. I served them with more chimichurri on the top and bottom and a whole wheat slider bun. These would also be great over some zucchini noodles or with roasted veggies like fennel and potatoes.

These easy, quick meatballs get some extra zing from vinegar-y, herby, garlicky chimichurri. #meandthemoose #chimichurri #cilantro #parsley #meatballs #quickmeals #easyrecipes

Chimichurri meatballs

Time: 40 minutes (10 minutes of prep, 30 minutes of cooking)
Yield: 9 large meatballs

Chimichurri
1 small shallot
3 large garlic cloves
3/4 cup fresh cilantro
3/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup red wine or sherry vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until everything is combined.

Note: I always use the stems as well as the leaves of the cilantro and parsley. Pack down the herbs into the measuring cups as much as possible- this sauce requires A LOT of herbs.

Meatballs
1 lb ground beef, turkey, or bison
½ cup chimichurri
1 cup bread crumbs or panko
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 400.

Make the chimichurri sauce.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix just until everything is combined. Try not to over mix.

Using your hands or a large spoon, form into palm-sized balls (about the size of a lacrosse ball).

Bake in any oven-safe pan, but preferably a casserole or pie dish with higher sides to keep the balls in place, for about 25-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

Shrimp rolls

Shrimp rolls are a cheaper alternative to the classic lobster roll and scream NEW ENGLAND SUMMER! just as much.

Take me to the sandwiches.

How is it already mid-June? Things are changing so fast around here that the spring slipped away and now it's almost summer (though spring is doing its best summer impersonation as I sit outside writing this in 93 degree heat). We're also at the two-month mark in our countdown to leaving NYC...it's finally happening: We're moving to the burbs. I've lived here for 15 years, so it feels weird and exciting to live somewhere else. And to have a HOUSE! What are we even going to do with more than three rooms?

We're heading north to a great town in Connecticut and I'm excited to be a New Englander! In that spirit, here are some shrimp rolls that we make a lot during the summer. If you use pre-cooked shrimp, this is a no-cook dinner that screams summer at the beach (even sans beach). The fresh tarragon is pretty key to this concoction, but if you don't have any I would use fresh basil instead of subbing in dried tarragon.

Shrimp rolls

Time: 20-30 minutes, mostly active
Yield: 4 large rolls with about 1 cup shrimp mixture in each roll

2 lb raw shrimp (if using cooked shrimp, skip the butter; defrost overnight in the fridge or in lukewarm water, if needed)
2 Tbsp butter (plus 1-2 tsp for frying tarragon, if desired)
½ cup chopped celery (2 large stalks, minced)
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (with a few leaves left over for frying at the end)
½ cup mayonnaise
1.5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp old bay seasoning
large pinch salt
4 large brioche or potato hotdog buns

In a large skillet, melt the butter over a medium flame.

Add the shrimp and cook until they are pink throughout, about 5-8 minutes (longer if you start with frozen shrimp).

Chop the shrimp, celery, and tarragon and combine with the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, old bay, and salt. Mix thoroughly.

Toast your hotdog buns and fill with shrimp mixture.

Melt another tsp or two of butter and fry whole tarragon leaves. Top the shrimp rolls with a few leaves and some more old bay seasoning. Serve immediately.      

Black Bean Soup

Guys, I'm ALONE. Not in the despair-filled, we're-all-ultimately-alone-in-this-life sense, but in the literal, concrete sense. I spent my first night away from M and E last night and it was glorious and bittersweet in equal measure. After a good 45 minutes of looking at pictures of M on my phone and missing him ferociously, I spun around The-Hills-Are-Alive style in my room before falling asleep in my hotel bathrobe at 10:30.

It's a funny time to be away and probably a good test of my anxiety coping skills. After M's injury last week, I'm feeling more protective of him than ever, so this is forcing me to deal with the lingering fear that SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN. Because something will happen eventually- it always does. Although last week I felt panicked realizing that I can't always protect M, I'm trying to remember that I AM protecting him by giving him life skills and resilience and by not hovering and sending him the message that I don't trust him and that the world is filled with danger. Also, his dad is the greatest, so I really need to chill out. 

Anyhoo, this is my first post in some time that wasn't interrupted by a small person with constant demands OR exhaustion from addressing said small person's constant demands. So without further ado: Delicious black bean soup!

A few notes: 15 minutes is a long time for onions to start a soup, but the caramelizing really enhances the flavor of this simple dish. Also, this soup is of a medium thickness. If one wanted a thicker soup, reduce the liquid by 1 cup. Similarly, to thin the soup further, add 1/2 to 1 cup more liquid. I like the textural difference of some pureed and some whole beans, but one could also puree the whole thing for a uniform consistency. Other ways to add texture: Set side some caramelized onions for later topping; add in a small can of poblanos or other roasted, chopped green chilis; top with crushed tortilla chips, cojita cheese, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, etc for faux nachos on top.

Black bean soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp cumin
1/8-¼ tsp cayenne
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
S/P

Heat olive oil and butter over a medium flame. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.

Add 1.5 cans of black beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, and using an immersion or regular blender, puree the soup. Add the other .5 cans of beans, salt and pepper to taste, and heat through again.

Yield: 50 oz or about 5 cups

Spicy chocolate zucchini muffins

These chocolate muffins feature zucchini and blackberries for some extra moisture (and yet another way to use up a zucchini if you find yourself with a bumper crop) and chocolate because…chocolate. With one bowl and about forty minutes, you can have a super muffin for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Take me to the muffins!

These muffins are really incredibly easy. No need to drain the zucchini or use separate bowls for the mixing. They can easily be made vegan by swapping in two flax eggs and some vegan chocolate chips. The batter is thick (almost like a brownie batter), but puffs up with a light, airy, and not-at-all dry crumb.

I added some cayenne for the slightest of kicks and some cinnamon or the slightest of warmth, but you can leave out BOTH and have a more straightforward chocolate muffin that is equally delicious.

**I use half white and half whole wheat flours, but feel free to use all white, all whole wheat, or all gluten free 1-to-1 flour instead.

This batch only made 11 muffins because Sticky Fingers here kept munching on the blackberries and chocolate chips I'd measured out. All of my other batches made an even dozen.

Spicy chocolate zucchini muffins

2 cups shredded zucchini (from one medium zucchini)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar (granulated, cane, and coconut work well)
½ cup oil (canola, coconut, olive, and avocado all work fine)
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup white flour*
¾ whole wheat flour*
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp cayenne or chili powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1 small container fresh blackberries, or 1 cup frozen berries (not defrosted)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the shredded zucchini with eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cayenne, cinnamon, and salt, and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks (if using) and the blackberries.

Line or spray cupcake tins with oil. Fill each opening ¾ full and bake for 23-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins